✍️ Best Baby Shower Games Editorial Team · Updated May 2026

Diaper Pong

Beer pong rules with a baby twist. Sink a ping-pong ball in your opponent's cup, and before they can drink, a teammate has to fold a fresh diaper on a baby doll. First team to clear the table wins — and the dad's side of the family will be all-in within thirty seconds.

🍷 Coed-friendly
🏃 Active

⏱ Prep: 15 min
👥 Best for: 6–20 guests
🍷 Coed: Yes
📹 Virtual: In person

What you'll need

10–12 plastic Solo cups or clear dollar-store cups
Two ping-pong balls (so a dropped one doesn't stall the game)
A pack of newborn-size diapers (~30 from Target or Costco; the leftovers go home with the mom-to-be)
A 12-inch baby doll for the folding penalty (a thrift-store find or any old one works)
Juice, sparkling water, beer, or mocktails — match your crowd
A 6-foot folding table and a damp kitchen towel for spills
A small prize for the winning team (six-pack, candle, or $20 gift card)

Before the shower (setup)

A week before the shower, pick up a pack of 10–12 plastic Solo cups (Target, Walmart, or any dollar store), a couple of ping-pong balls, and a pack of newborn-size diapers (about 30 — buy the cheap house brand at Target or Costco). Grab a basic 12-inch baby doll from a thrift store or Amazon for the folding penalty — a used one is totally fine since it's just a prop. The diapers themselves aren't wasted; they all go home with the mom-to-be once the game ends.
About 20 minutes before guests arrive, set up the playing area. A standard 6-foot folding table is the right size — Costco-style banquet tables work great. A glass coffee table is too low and too slippery; carpet is a hard pass. Outside on a patio or in a kitchen are the two best spots because liquid will land off-table at least twice. Wipe the table down and have a damp kitchen towel within reach for between-round cleanup.
Place 6 cups in a triangle at each end of the table, beer-pong style. Pour exactly 2 ounces of your drink of choice into each cup — that's a sip, not a full pour. Twelve full cups means somebody's uncomfortable by cup three. Stack the diapers and place the baby doll within easy reach on one side. Have your prize visible — a six-pack, a $20 gift card, or a candle all work. Demonstrate the correct diaper fold on the doll once so the first team isn't stuck mid-game figuring it out.

Front-door setup for Diaper Pong — basket of clothespins and a chalkboard rule sign by the entryway — Set up at the front door so the game starts the second guests walk in.

How to play

Pick two teams of 2–3 players each. A coin flip decides which team throws first. Players take turns trying to land a ping-pong ball into a cup on the opposite side of the table. Standard beer-pong rules: bounce shots are usually disallowed, no leaning over the table line. The room will start trash-talking within the first two throws — that's the energy you want.

When a ball lands in a cup, the team that got hit has to do two things before they can take their drink. First, a teammate grabs a fresh diaper and folds it onto the baby doll correctly — the diaper has to actually stay on the doll if you hold it up. Then, only after the diaper passes the "it stays on" test, the player whose cup got hit drinks the 2 ounces inside. The empty cup gets pulled off the table for good.

Play continues with teams alternating throws until one team has cleared all of their opponent's cups. That team wins the round. If a game stalls (one team can't sink a single shot), set a 10-minute timer — whoever has fewer cups left when time runs out wins. Hand the prize to the winning team right there. Pile up all the folded diapers and present them to the mom-to-be — she just got 20 pre-folded diapers as a side bonus.

A hand lifting a clothespin off another guest's shirt — the steal moment in Diaper Pong — The moment of the steal — someone slipped, someone caught it, pin changes hands.

Variations to try

Diaper-fold race round. Skip the cups entirely. Two players race to fold a stack of five diapers onto two baby dolls. Fastest correct stack wins. Quicker, mess-free, no liquid — perfect for a quick 5-minute round between heavier games or as a tiebreaker.
Non-alcoholic version. Fill the cups with apple juice, sparkling water, or pastel mocktails (cranberry + ginger ale, pineapple + orange juice) instead of beer. Plays exactly the same. Default version for showers with pregnant guests, a no-alcohol family preference, or under-21 attendees.
Mom's side vs dad's side. Pit the mom-to-be's side of the family against the dad-to-be's side as the two teams. The trash-talk and family-rivalry energy is built right in — usually the funniest version, especially if cousins or siblings end up on opposite teams.
Bonus penalty cards. Tape three face-down "bonus penalty" cards under three random cups before the game starts. When a cup with a bonus card gets sunk, the team has to do an extra task before the diaper-fold — burp the doll for 30 seconds, sing a line of a lullaby, or do a baby-themed dance move. Adds chaos and photo moments.

Pro tips from hosts who've actually run this

Use cheap newborn-size diapers. The brand doesn't matter — they all unfold and refold the same. Target and Costco house brands are the cheapest.
Two ounces per cup, not a full cup. A full cup of beer through 6 sinks means somebody's done after the first round.
Use a folding banquet table, not a coffee table. The height matters for proper pong arc.
Demo the correct diaper fold once before starting so the first team isn't fumbling and the game momentum doesn't die.
Keep a damp kitchen towel within arm's reach. Spills happen on every game, usually around cup three.
Run this outside or in the kitchen — never on carpet. Even with careful pouring, liquid will land off-table at least twice.
Buy a second ping-pong ball as a spare. One drop down a heating vent and the game's over without it.

Common mistakes to avoid

Filling cups to the brim. Two ounces per cup keeps the game playable; full cups end with someone genuinely uncomfortable before round two.
Setting up on carpet. Even careful players spill — and beer in a wool rug is its own kind of party-ending moment.
Skipping the diaper-fold demo. The first team will fumble for a full minute trying to figure out the wrap, and the room loses interest fast.
Buying a single ping-pong ball. They drop, they roll, they disappear. One ball and your game's over the second it goes under the couch.
Forgetting to plan for non-drinkers. Have a second pitcher of juice or mocktail ready so pregnant guests, designated drivers, and grandparents can actually play.

Best prize for this game

Match the casual, fun energy. Strong picks: a six-pack of craft beer for over-21 winners, a $20–$25 Target or Total Wine gift card the team can split, a basket of fancy snacks or jerky for dad-heavy crowds, or a candle from Yankee Candle for a more neutral option. Wrap it visibly at the prize table so guests can see what they're playing for from the first throw.

→ More baby shower prize ideas, by budget

Our verdict

The single best game for showers where the dad's side of the family showed up. It pulls the guys in within thirty seconds and ends with the mom-to-be sitting on a stack of pre-folded diapers — wins on both ends.

Diaper Pong — FAQ

Do I need real beer for diaper pong?

No — juice, sparkling water, or pastel mocktails all play exactly the same way. The drinking is only half the joke; the diaper-fold penalty is the other half. Match the drink to your crowd, not the other way around.

How many diapers do I need to buy?

About 30 newborn-size for the game and another 10 as backup for the inevitable bad folds. After the round, they all go home with the mom-to-be — she just scored 30 pre-folded newborn diapers, which is a real win for a new parent.

Is this appropriate for a coed shower with grandparents?

Mostly yes — most grandparents enjoy watching it from a chair with a glass of wine, even if they're not playing. The non-alcoholic version is friendlier if you're unsure. The trash-talk stays light because of the diaper-fold absurdity.

What size doll works best for the folding penalty?

A standard 12-inch baby doll. Bigger dolls are too easy to wrap (boring); smaller ones are too fiddly. A used doll from Goodwill or any thrift store is totally fine — it's a prop, not a keepsake.

How long does one game take?

About 15–20 minutes per round between two teams. Run two rounds with rotating players for about 40 minutes of content from a single setup.

Can pregnant guests play?

Yes — just hand them juice or mocktail cups instead of alcohol ones. The throwing and folding work exactly the same. Most pregnant guests love being in the game with everyone else rather than benched.

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About the author

Best Baby Shower Games Editorial Team — Party planners, parents & writers. We’re a small team of party planners and parents who’ve hosted — and been guests at — dozens of baby showers. Every game here is sorted by what actually lands in a real room, not by what just looks cute on a Pinterest board.